The Art of Serious Reading
It’s a sad state of affairs. With our hurried lifestyles, we don’t have time to read books any more. Sure, we read blog posts, articles, and other tidbits of digital media, but it’s not the same.
Okay, so we might read books that serve our professional development. But they aren’t designed to challenge you. They’re designed to be consumed and digested during our commute or a single plane trip—this is especially so for most business books.
Now we read to complete the book, as if finishing a book or article is an end in itself. It’s not. Reading is a skill that advances an understanding of yourself and the world around you, challenging you and fostering your growth.
For reading to accomplish these vital tasks, you have to radically alter how you perceive and approach reading. Here are a few guidelines to help transform your experience with books:
1) Seek out books that will challenge your understanding about human nature. An excellent place to start is ancient Greek philosophy with the works of Plato and Aristotle. Even if you’re not interested in philosophy per se, the ancient Greeks set the foundation upon which Western civilization is based, informing virtually every field of study including law, politics, health, psychology, and natural and social sciences.
2) Instead of reading to complete a book, seek answers to specific questions. This will give your reading more purpose and focus.
3) When reading difficult books, first try to understand the author’s central message. Then open an inner dialogue with the author, comparing and critiquing the work based on what you believe (or know) to be true. In reading the Great Books of the Western World, for example, you’re reading a historical progression of ideas. To witness the development of the understanding and challenges man has faced, read with an open mind and appreciate the context of the author’s time period as best as you can.
4) Make reading a priority. Most people claim they don’t have time to read books anymore. If you don’t consciously carve out time blocks for daily reading, who’s responsible for this lack of time? Left unchecked, life’s busyness will rob you of the joys and benefits of serious reading.
5) Highlight and mark up challenging books, taking notes, capturing ideas as you read. If your purpose in reading is to deepen your knowledge and understanding, you need to approach book reading in a more serious, active way.
As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, Adler’s How to Read a Book is an excellent guide to learn the art of reading.
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This is so cool. I was reading Plato’s Rebuplic the other day and it was talking about the regression of the Republic from Philosopher Kings to Oligarchy to Democracy, and then on to The Tyrannical leader. Very interesting stuff. Any idea where it talks about how one can restore The Republic? In the book, Socrates says though no such society exists, it’s blueprints are in currently in Heaven. It makes me think still to this day, a society has not ever been orchestrated as perfect as described in the book.
The city Socrates constructed in the Republic was hypothetical; it was a thought exercise to illustrate the nature of justice, law, political structure, and the Good. No such society has ever existed and many students of Plato’s work would argue that Socrates didn’t believe such an “ideal” city could exist in this world. Still, in laying down this blue print, Socrates highlights the importance of education and training of its leaders and set the foundation for political science as well as other disciplines.
So, just to clear up what political science he meant, and I have an idea what he meant, just for the audience, was it aligned with an absolute truth or was it related to relative truth? The justice that he meant; was it related to social justice or some other kind of justice? Socrates and Plato seemed to have a strong faith in an absolute divinity.
Thanks Scott.
I’m loving this discussion in the comment section. Interesting that Plato and the Republic is being presented as I have heard this topic being spoken about in another circle, synchronistically. Keep it going, guys. I’m learning quite a bit. Thanks!
The issue of relativism is the topic of discussion primarily with the sophist Protagoras found primarily in the Platonic dialogue by his name (Protagoras) as well as in Theaetetus. The Republic is considered to be the foundational work in what is now called “political science,” but the dialogue opens with an inquisition into the nature of the good — what is it by which a man can be said to be “good.” In an attempt to answer this question, Socrates creates an imaginary polis (city).